Hardcat drives efficiencies, sustainability and cost savings
With a history dating back to 1862, Zoos Victoria operates three world-class facilities Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Open Plains Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary which collectively attract over 1.6 million visitors annually.
Transforming itself into a world-leading zoo-based conservation organisation, Zoos Victoria installed a Hardcat system that is providing unprecedented strategic management of assets valued at over $218 million.
The array of assets held by Zoos Victoria is complex and broad, covering a huge range of activities from the housing, management and display of animals; to the management of landscapes; looking after their visitors and maintaining the facilities they require.
Watch: Diverse assets tracking at Zoos
Hardcat has allowed us to have better financial control of all assets through reviewing our budgeting, planning and procurement policies and procedures, as we have better visibility of all the relevant dynamic data – Stuart Allen, Project Procurement Policy Convenor, Zoos Victoria.
Animal facilities and landscapes maintenance
Zoos Victoria has a complex and diverse array of operating assets. These include buildings and animal exhibits, catering facilities and equipment, plant, vehicles, office equipment, veterinary facilities and equipment, facility and landscape maintenance equipment and animal transport boxes and much more – all of which require continuous, full lifecycle management.
Previously using an asset register maintained on a basic spreadsheet, Zoos Victoria found it difficult to be holistic and strategic in its asset management. It searched the market for a system that would more efficiently support the procurement, maintenance, regulatory compliance and financial aspects of effective asset management.
Goal: Self-Sustainable and Carbon Neutral
According to Stuart Allen, Project Procurement Policy Convenor at Zoos Victoria, assets were managed in a very ad hoc manner which was costly, labour intensive and inefficient.
Our organisation has a declared vision to become a self sustainable, carbon neutral centre of excellence in conservation,” Allen said. We needed to be able to track every aspect of our entire range of assets over their full lifecycle and through a single, easy-to-use interface.
“Only then could we start to strategically manage assets for positive outcomes in procurement negotiations, better maintenance to extend the life of assets, financial governance and visibility so that we know where assets are when we need them.
Stuart Allen, Project Procurement Policy Convenor Zoos Victoria
The Hardcat Difference
Zoos Victoria identified system requirements including hierarchic asset code, unique identification for every asset, the ability to integrate with the enterprise accounting system on a project basis, as well as being the ability to map expenditure and valuation of individual assets over their full lifecycle.
The solution needed to track purchase cost, current value and replacement value for insurance purposes, as well as warranty dates and service schedules, to track maintenance expenditure.
Following an extensive search and review process, Zoos Victoria selected Hardcat as the asset management software solution that could exceed Zoos Victoria’s requirements.
Hardcat Captured Assets Worth $218 Million
Zoos Victoria also engaged the Hardcat Professional Services team to complete the upload of the existing Asset Register. Followed by a comprehensive audit of all three locations using Hardcat’s CatScan tool and auditing services, this included barcoding, photographing and registering all assets. Zoos Victoria’s asset register now shows nearly 6,000 items valued at over $218 million.
The audit process captured a large amount of data about our assets that was previously unavailable, Allen said. It also allowed us to find a range of assets which weren’t previously in the asset register and accounted for.
Quality Data, Unprecedented Visibility
It is the quality of that captured data that is going to provide the bottom-line benefits and strategic advantage that Zoos Victoria is looking for. Centralised visibility of the full range of assets introduces a range of immediate benefits including lifecycle management and better-planned maintenance.
We have been able to get buy-in from all stakeholders across the organisation because they can now see that effective management is going to save money, create efficiencies and make their jobs easier, Allen said.
Hardcat is now used strategically to meet defined objectives for financial sustainability, improved contribution to conservation, optimised capital expenditure and reduced carbon footprint.
Good Governance and Regulatory Compliance
As a Government agency, Zoos Victoria has strict reporting obligations to the state Department of Treasury and Finance. Through the implementation of specialised tools, visibility, processes and access to systems, Hardcat is facilitating Zoos Victoria’s compliance with statutory reporting requirements by keeping an auditable asset register at all times.
Now in place, the CatScan audit software affords Zoos Victoria the ability to independently, accurately and efficiently conduct its own asset audits as required. Reducing the cost of utilising third-party auditors to verify asset data.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to us now being in a much better position to start analysing all the data we have and being more strategic about how we can manage costs, improve efficiency and extend the life of assets, Allen said.
Hardcat is an Australian-based leader in the development and implementation of asset management technology. With over 36 years of experience, we specialise in providing comprehensive, flexible and data-rich tracking and management solutions.
Let us help you quickly and effectively tag and capture your assets or maintain the quality of your asset register data with our comprehensive asset audit and reconciliation services so that you can get on with business.
Hardcat has operated as an independent and innovative solution provider for over 36 years with solutions deployed in over 121 countries.
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